
ICD (Inland Container Depot) will maintain the total operational responsibilities of container movements, i.e. container gate-in, and gate-out, and preservation, placement inside the depot and outside of the depot premises. The key activities of container service department are:
DISTINCTION OF ICD & CFS
Functionally there is no distinction between an Inland Container Depot (ICD) and Container Freight station (CFS) as both are transit facilities, which offer services for containerization of break bulk cargo and vice-versa. These could be served by rail and/or road transport. An Inland Container Depot (ICD) is generally located in the interiors (outside the port towns) of the country away from the servicing ports. Container Freight Station, on the other hand, is an off dock facility located near the servicing ports which helps in decongesting the port by shifting cargo and customs related activities outside the port area. Container freight stations are largely expected to deal with break-bulk cargo originating/terminating in the immediate hinterland of a port and may also deal with rail borne traffic to and from inland locations. Keeping in view the requirements of Customs Act, and need to introduce clarity in nomenclature, all containers terminal facilities in the hinterland would be designated as “Inland Container Depots (ICDs)”.